The mission of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is to foster opportunities for businesses to grow and for communities to succeed and thrive in a global economy. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for Pennsylvania citizens while assuring transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds.

DCEDNewsroomSecretary Davin Continues ‘Jobs that Pay’ Tour, Outlining Governor Wolf’s Job Creation Initiatives at The Beistle Company in Cumberland County

Secretary Davin Continues ‘Jobs that Pay’ Tour, Outlining Governor Wolf’s Job Creation Initiatives at The Beistle Company in Cumberland County

March 31, 2017

Release Date: March 31, 2017 2:05 pmAuthor: Heidi Havens

Shippensburg, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin continued the Wolf Administration’s ‘Jobs that Pay’ tour at The Beistle Company, the oldest and largest manufacturer of party decorations and supplies in the United States.

“The Beistle Company is a unique manufacturer with a long history in Pennsylvania,” said Sec. Davin. “As a company that was started in Pennsylvania, and has remained in Pennsylvania for 117 years, I am pleased that we have been able to partner with them to continue their success.”

The Beistle Company has been a recipient of WEDnetPA funding for nine years, receiving a total of $63,920. WEDnetPA provides qualified employers training funds for new and existing employees through a collaborative partnership of community colleges, state system universities and other educational institutions working together to be responsive to the needs of the Pennsylvania business community.

Governor Wolf’s budget continues to invest in 21st century manufacturing, workforce development, and training programs while also implementing new safeguards to ensure taxpayer dollars for economic development projects are spent appropriately and intended outcomes are met.

Joined by The Beistle Company leadership, Davin outlined initiatives in Governor Wolf’s budget that encourages job creation by:

Partnering with the commonwealth’s research universities and Industrial Resource Centers to accelerate manufacturing technology advancement and adoption, foster manufacturing innovation and commercialization, and build a 21st century workforce.

Creating a new apprenticeship grant program to ensure workers can receive training aligned to business workforce needs, funded with revenue recovered from companies that fail to live up to previous commitments made when they received state assistance.

Investing $5 million in a manufacturing training-to-career grant program to partner with technical programs and community colleges to develop new training programs that align with their workforce needs.

Cutting through red tape by establishing a one-stop shop at the Department of Community and Economic Development for the business community to interact with for centralized licensing processes and information on services the commonwealth provides to help them grow.

“The Beistle Company, your hometown employer, has been helping to create memories while celebrating a lifetime of special moments for generations,” Tara Lacy, International Sales Manager, The Beistle Company. “We are excited to have Secretary Davin tour our facility along with the state’s support through the WEDnetPA program and Office of International Business Development.”